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My Chey dealer is great, treats me well and my car is respected by the employees there. So are the cars of the Spark, Volt and pick up owners. This is the way it should be. I am no better than the spark owner, just spent more money for my car. Most people drive what they can afford, because you drive a M/B or Jag does that mean you are better...naw and if you think you are then you will never be treated the way you think you should be. Most of us are pretty equal and as such should treat the other person as you would like to be treated. Be nice, it is really easy, and others will be nice to you.
The dealership will treat you as good as you treat them, smile, say Hi, they will respond in kind. Simple. Do good and you will be treated well and your car will be well cared for by the dealership's personnel. Of course things will go wrong at times, and if the oil is over filled it can be fixed and cleaned up. Remember that they come from the factory with some oil issues, oops, Chevrolet, Thinking about my last 4 Corvettes and the dealerships they have all been pretty good, repairs, when needed were done in a timely fashion, oi changes were OK, price was fair, those are all you can expect if you just remember to smile and treat them as you would like to be treated...Rant over.
My Chey dealer is great, treats me well and my car is respected by the employees there. So are the cars of the Spark, Volt and pick up owners. This is the way it should be. I am no better than the spark owner, just spent more money for my car. Most people drive what they can afford, because you drive a M/B or Jag does that mean you are better...naw and if you think you are then you will never be treated the way you think you should be. Most of us are pretty equal and as such should treat the other person as you would like to be treated. Be nice, it is really easy, and others will be nice to you.
The dealership will treat you as good as you treat them, smile, say Hi, they will respond in kind. Simple. Do good and you will be treated well and your car will be well cared for by the dealership's personnel. Of course things will go wrong at times, and if the oil is over filled it can be fixed and cleaned up. Remember that they come from the factory with some oil issues, oops, Chevrolet, Thinking about my last 4 Corvettes and the dealerships they have all been pretty good, repairs, when needed were done in a timely fashion, oi changes were OK, price was fair, those are all you can expect if you just remember to smile and treat them as you would like to be treated...Rant over.
Wrong!
Bottom line is if I buy a zr1 or c8, it is inherently a more expensive and complicated car design. I do not feel comfortable having a normal tech work on my specialized, expensive vehicle that I dropped a ton of cash on. I'm not saying I'm "better" than a silverado owner, however I AM saying my car is more likely to be damaged due to tech error than a Silverado. There's a difference, and you're making a false equivalance.
In other words, the risk of something going wrong is much lower with a more qualified/specialized technician working on the car...
Could a general handyman wire your garage..? Probably. Would I suggest you hire him to wire your garage? No, but it might go fine. I'd hire an actual electrician.
Ground clearances, jacking points, special maintenance procedures, special parts, more expensive rims that are wider and more difficult to mount tires on....
With the c8 going mid engine, this fact will become even more exteme due to the new engine packaging..
Last edited by mammoth713; 10-17-2018 at 06:34 PM.
Household incomes on average tend to be higher near major population centers/metro areas. So it's really not that far a drive for most Ferrari owners to the nearest dealership, certainly not 8 hours for the majority...or even BMW, Mercedes owners (if they are living within their means).
I understand. Was just making the point that for a large part of the country you are stuck with just one point of service, unless you want to take your new car to an independent garage/shade tree mechanic.
You all are making it sound like it takes a freaking rocket scientist to work on an internal combustion engine... aside from the supercharger and dry sump the basic maintenance is exactly the same as any other LS engine... Other than oil changes you really shouldn't have to go to the dealer for much of anything IMO. Brand new car, driven the way most people drive them it'll have what, 7 oil changes at like 20k miles and then they'll trade it in for something else anyway.
In other words, I get what you all are saying, but the vast majority of vette buyers aren't people like you, so it really won't matter. As a comparison, I'd bet BMW sells more of the 2/3/4 series than M cars. So you're talking... average of $40k cars compared to a handful of 100k+. Are there people saying the same things about those specialized cars at regular service centers? Basically the normal owners that gm see are people who just treat the car as whatever and then get a new one in a few years. As long as the dealer can do the basic crap who cares, itll be onto the next guy before anything major and by then it's out of warranty and chances are the next guy has somebody anyway. I drive old crap I can work on, and that way I pretty much never have to go to the dealer. That solves all the problems. I get it, but they don't really have the need. If that makes any sense at all. I'm exhausted right now and have no clue what I just wrote...
You all are making it sound like it takes a freaking rocket scientist to work on an internal combustion engine... aside from the supercharger and dry sump the basic maintenance is exactly the same as any other LS engine... Other than oil changes you really shouldn't have to go to the dealer for much of anything IMO. Brand new car, driven the way most people drive them it'll have what, 7 oil changes at like 20k miles and then they'll trade it in for something else anyway.
In other words, I get what you all are saying, but the vast majority of vette buyers aren't people like you, so it really won't matter. As a comparison, I'd bet BMW sells more of the 2/3/4 series than M cars. So you're talking... average of $40k cars compared to a handful of 100k+. Are there people saying the same things about those specialized cars at regular service centers? Basically the normal owners that gm see are people who just treat the car as whatever and then get a new one in a few years. As long as the dealer can do the basic crap who cares, itll be onto the next guy before anything major and by then it's out of warranty and chances are the next guy has somebody anyway. I drive old crap I can work on, and that way I pretty much never have to go to the dealer. That solves all the problems. I get it, but they don't really have the need. If that makes any sense at all. I'm exhausted right now and have no clue what I just wrote...
I never said it was rocket science. These techs should be able to put a Corvette on a lift without damaging it... But alas... (Go read the thread about the guy who's z06 got a chip in the rocker panel because some careless technician)
Not a good look if your company is trying to sell >$100k cars
Let's not forget that a new Silverado can easily cost more than a new Stingray today, and their V8 engines aren't so different.
On paper it seems like a great idea to sell Vettes with Caddys, but lest we forget that Chevy is The Heartbeat of America and General Motors.
Jim Perkins (Chevy's General Manager during the C5) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. have been on the dealer side for a while now [including working with or owning both Chevy and Cadillac dealers]. I wonder what they would say?
Last edited by 85nova; 10-18-2018 at 12:28 AM.
Reason: add pic
I never said it was rocket science. These techs should be able to put a Corvette on a lift without damaging it... But alas... (Go read the thread about the guy who's z06 got a chip in the rocker panel because some careless technician)
Not a good look if your company is trying to sell >$100k cars
I didn't mean it like that, I meant it as in some people think it's something truly exotic when it really isn't... just saying it and not directed at anyone. My bad.
Anyway, you can't fix stupid. I know mine can't go on most lifts... guessing it got high centered on the ramp? Frankly I'd be just as pissed if it were a cruze or a ZR1. I take pride in the crap I call my own.
I'm not arguing but gross negligence is everywhere. I've met a lot of dealer techs. There are very few that are actually mechanics. Generally that's where the difference lies. A tech knows what the computer tells him, a mechanic knows the car. Theres an audi dealership they just built a year or two ago, when the cars are in for service I sometimes watch them whip them around the lot because of the sheer lack of care. It's just a how fast can we get it in and out deal. Most people don't get it and that's where you have problems. They just see a car and have no sense of the worth that someone has behind it.
I actually got a guy fired on the spot at a dealership once. There was a nice 16 tahoe LTZ for sale in white diamond I was looking at. They just finished detailing it when I took it for a test ride. We got back and dad asked about the overspray on the tiny corner of the back of the bumper. The guy ignored it. About 10 minutes goes by of my cousin, father and I looking over the car and I pretty much determined the whole thing was repainted... the guy asked me how I could tell and I peeled back about a quarter sized spec of paint from the door moulding. My buddy who wasn't in at the time told me that he was told that was his last day. Dealers will do whatever they want and that one is known for actually being one of the better ones in the state. All depends on the guy who dressed up the car that day.
That's why I think we will (eventually if not right away) see both a FE and ME car, both called Corvettes, but the FE one called Stingray and the ME Manta Ray or Zora (I'm betting on Zora).
Based on how unimaginative GM has been lately with naming cars (e.g. Chevy Volt and Chevy Bolt), I expect to see Corvette Stingray and Corvette Slingray.
I'll make it worth your while. People bring me cars from 100+ miles away just for service because we care and take our time.
The Direct sales model does lose some of the cohesiveness that I think that Corvette deserves between Service, sales, and parts. It may work but I've also sat with people for 5 hours discussing options and being questioned about my opinion regarding equipment. I like having input and helping people decide whats best for them. How mad would you be if you bought a Z07 package and spent $5000 grand more than you had to if you just wanted J57 brakes? The unfortunate part is that the order guide on Corvette is so incredibly complex and custom is that you do need some help to get it all right and not have questions.
Just my 2 cents.
And enthusiasts really appreciate that type of service so I'll pause to say good show. The foriegn marques DO have nice lobbies and waiting rooms and treat you special. At those labor rates to pay for the marble floors they do make you feel special as they rob you blind. The "stealer" has gotten a very bad rap but there are a few out there that trreat the customer as gold which is all that's needed.
"nobody pays to be treated badly" Doesn't matter what service or product, customers very quickly vote with their feet and will indeed go the extra mile to see someone else who does as well.
Based on how unimaginative GM has been lately with naming cars (e.g. Chevy Volt and Chevy Bolt), I expect to see Corvette Stingray and Corvette Slingray.
Sting ray and Eray. I do think well see some chevy volt tech bleed into the front of the vette. just hope the super capacitor tech is ready and the batteries are kept modest.
I don't want a 4000 lb vette even if it's quicker.
I think the whole issue can be solved by the dealership. When I lived up in PA our club sponsor dealership had the best technician around. People would come from 4 states to have him work on their Vette. The dealership had him work on all Corvettes and the owners could talk to him and watch him in the first 2 bays in the shop. I've suggested this to our Corvette Club's sponsor down here in SW Florida. The owner says it makes sense and they do a lot of service. It all hinges on commitment to getting a great tech and designating an area just for Corvette service. Just saying this does work.
I think the biggest reason is that the CORVETTE is a CHEVROLET. Just because CADILLAC is on the front door their mechanics screw up too.
I was told though that if you own a CADILLAC and it needs work the dealership loans you a courtesy CADILLAC to use until they are finished with your car.
CHEVEROLET dealers in my experience don't give customers a courtesy CORVETTE to use
Whatever model is sold it all boils down to the salesman, owner, or technician to PERSONALLY do a good job and help a customer any way they can. It's called personal pride and how a person approaches life and the job he or she is doing. In business and dealing with the public the people that do the best job usually come out on top. In the automobile industry there are just too many choices out there. Dealerships that don't recognize this lose in the long run.
The problem I've seen over the years is that almost every real good mechanic, technician whatever the title wanted to quit doing the work and be the boss. They wanted to run their own shop. This happened lots of times and the guy had his new business with his name on the front of the building. Unfortunately he couldn't hire people that cared and did the work as good as him eventually the place got a bad name and the business suffered and went broke everybody lost. Nowadays those kind of shops are hard to find if they even exist because of the cost. It's got to be expensive to provide the computer equipment, tools and the benefits that the dealers can offer.
My experience is that Cadillac dealer service was nothing more than Chevy standards with higher prices (and nicer waiting rooms). That's why our 'back seat' cars have been high end Euros since the mid 1980's.
We've had over a dozen Corvettes since 1968 and the only significant 'downside' was/is having to go to the Chevy store for service. While they seem to try, that high volume 'herd' mentality is difficult to overcome. When you show up with a near $100K car, you're still just one person/vehicle in a mob scene.
Trust me..... it's VERY different at the Mercedes store, not to mention Jaguar, Ferrari and Aston Martin. Yeah, you pay a bit more, but you're treated like they really value your business and care about youAND your car.
Here's something GM could try.... At our local MB store, EVERY new hire (management through janitorial) has to go through 3 days of customer satisfaction/customer focus training BEFORE they start. It includes everything from customer etiquette, grooming, work place appearance, and customer interaction. They get paid while undergoing the training too! Why do you think their service is better? By the way, it's also a part of their incentive compensation. Heck the Chevy store doesn't teach the 'grease monkeys' the difference between a conventional and 'dry sump' oil change!
You are right Tooold2race. I also own a Jaguar and the experience there is completely different than what I get at my Chevy dealer, or Ford dealer. I always say, I don't own a Chevy, I own a Corvette!
But being I have a 2006 and its out of warranty, I never take it to the Chevy dealer anymore. I go to a shop near me that specializes in restoring Corvettes. They know the car inside and out, and take care of it as if its their own car. Glad I don't have to deal with Chevy anymore. I had a new 2012 Camaro that was making a grinding noise in the rear end. The Chevy mechanic told me I'm not making enough turns. He said the car needs to turn more and go straight less. So I was like, "so you're telling me I bought a car that can't go straight". Finally the service advisor looked up the Vin and found that they put the wrong fluid in the rear at the factory. Changed the fluid and the seals, and the noise went away.
I think the biggest reason is that the CORVETTE is a CHEVROLET. Just because CADILLAC is on the front door their mechanics screw up too.
I was told though that if you own a CADILLAC and it needs work the dealership loans you a courtesy CADILLAC to use until they are finished with your car.
CHEVEROLET dealers in my experience don't give customers a courtesy CORVETTE to use
Originally Posted by ACCHRM
Because.....CHEVROLET Corvette, not CADILLAC Corvette
....
You both are missing my entire point. I'm not going to even bother...
I remember reading a post somewhere not sure if it was here but this guy swore he had inside information that Cadillac would have a mid engine along side Chevy. I think Cadillac will be producing a mid engine car. Do not forget the Corvette plant was converted for Cadillac to build cars I also think they will have some influence in the V8 that will be in the C8.
Honestly I think it'd be stupid if Cadillac basically takes c8 platform and makes it one of their models too.. I think the engineering and marketing would be better suited just selling the mid engine under Corvette as it's own brand, and selling them at Cadillac dealers. Having the c8 as a Chevy and Cadillac kind of dilutes the car's design IMO.
Just knock the c8 design out of the park and have it under it's own brand of "Corvette"
We live in interesting times
Last edited by mammoth713; 11-06-2018 at 02:50 AM.
1) Why doesn't GM just sell Corvettes at Cadillac dealers?
Sorry if this is a dumbass question, but if you buy a new Camaro, Corvette, or Silverado, can you have warranty repairs done at Cadillac dealers?
ANSWER: GM and all car manufacturers have franchise contracts with dealers. No way can they just say to the Chevy dealer oh by way we’re now going to let the Caddy dealers sell Corvettes! And to answer your last question NO you cannot have a Caddy Dealer Service your Vette or Silverodo for warranty and that dealer be reimbursed by GM! Part of franchise agreement. Wish the Caddy Dealer in town, who I know, could have done Courtesy Delivery for my Vettes! That is not allowed.
Can introduce a new brand, iike GMC to give the Caddy and Buick dealer the equivalent to a Chevy Truck or if they want to reduce the number of Olds dealers and not have lawsuits for years they can eliminate the brand much easier! (Had to deal with that when we consolidated three brands for welding equipment and respective distributors!)
Originally Posted by Ericm1949
Well Cadillac did that. Remember the XLR? Built on the Corvette assembly line using a number of C-6 Corvette parts but designed and badged as a Cadillac. Technicians were specially trained to work on them as they were so different from the rest of Cadillac’s product line. GM made about 10 Corvettes for every XLR built during the production run. They built them from 2004 to 2009. I owned 2 of them, but it became clear that GM was not going to support them in parts or continued technician training.
IMO selling a Caddy branded C8 is viable and useful for the many buyers who don’t care about exceeding 1 “g” lateral acceleration, those who justifiably complain about the stiff ride, excess noise, need for all-season tires and are willing to pay more for a high end stereo, blind spot detection etc! The many complaints I see posted!
On the same assembly line they can put on some differentiated composite panels, add insulation so a high end stereo can be logically added, use softer springs and shock settings and a sway bar that doesn’t look like an axle as it does in my Grand Sport!
They can put tires on that work well below freezing. For all those that currently pay for a 3LT thinking they are getting real leather on anything but the “seating surface” and are really only getting a GM coined name for 40% ground scrap leather in essentially vinyl, Mulan, they can opt for real Italian leather perhaps with a Gucci Logo. Note the 3LT does not even have Napa leather on the seat bolsters.
The buying world is changing! Sure as a “gearhead” since ~13 years old I don’t need any help buying a Vette. A 10 minute call to Kerbeck and now that I found a Chevy dealer 30 miles away who will accept Courtesy Delivery for $250 is all I’ll need to buy my C8. But for those that can’t decide what they want there are many YouTube videos and could be more from GM to help with selection better than 95% of the salesman. The current GM build-your-Vette website is great, IMO.
Heck living in a more rural area I buy a lot from Amazon and have no problem getting info about the product from the site or searching for more info or a video.
This forum is a great source of quality info very few salesman or certified Vette mechanics can answer, albeit you have to know how to search.
10-17-2018, 06:09 PM
I know mine can't go on most lifts... guessing it got high centered on the ramp? Frankly I'd be just as pissed if it were a cruze or a ZR1. I take pride in the crap I call my own. 
